I live in Mumbai ( actually a station away from Mumbia), but keep travelling all over the place, and as a part of the lifeline, everyone leaving in Mumbai or working or studying etc. in Mumbai have to travel by train (atleast once in a lifetime) if you dont, then u r missing a BIG part of it.


As many say, the problem with Mumbai is travelling, for even the smallest work. Well can't argue about that, I travel by atleast three modes of transport everyday to reach office and back ( a rickshaw/bus, one may be two trains / and then walk or take a cab...and then the same for coming back home) I send a minimum of 1:45 to 2 hours travelling one way...(ehmm realisation is only painful)

So, I have been travelling by trains (locals) for the 8 yrs, as one of my friends rightly said, we spend half our lives only in travelling from one destination to another...

I am aware, the there is a child birth every secound and theres a major population outbrust (specially in India).But I am getting to wittness it all! Everyday its a pain to reach the stataion and then theres a mob of an ever increasing size by the day!
In India, during a particular period, there is a Mela ( religious gathering in a holy place) called Kumbh Mela, and due to the enormous amount of crowd, people tend loss their relatives( or the known ones) due to the confusion and rush...there are many Bollywood movies based on this fact, now I say one could use the Mumbai Local station as an substitute

You miss a couple of over crowded trains to finally prepare yourself to get into one, and then you experience the correct defination of "Mass adjusts to the area" and then if you ever get to veiw the site of people getting out of the train it will remind you the release of a thousands of helpless ants forcefully stuffed in the smallest jar you could find.

Its a little ( ehmm pretty much) difficult to get into one of these trains and much more difficult to survive staying in it, but the getting out of it part comes wid an ease, you dont even need to take a step, just thrown out of if! Its a sence to get entertained too, you could take a before and after photographs of the travels to get an idea of the troma one has to go through, cresed cloths, makeup, well brushed hair, soft skin and a smiling face...all crumpled, worn off, messed up, scared and frustrated. A Major energy drainout!

But after all this, the people out here are so co operative and adjusting, lively and easy going, I guess thats what keeps the city going.

Cheers!


Thought I have to go through al of this, I cant imagine living without it


Mumbai Lives